Swansea did not tell ballboys to time-waste, insists vice-chairman Dineen

By Hayden Gribble

The club's chief has spoken out following the incident between 17-year-old Charlie Morgan and Chelsea winger Eden Hazard that resulted in the Belgium international's red card

Swansea vice-chairman Leigh Dineen had denied that the ballboys at the club's Capital One Cup semi-final second leg draw with Chelsea were told to time-waste.

The Swans' aggregate victory over the European champions guaranteed them a place in the final, but was overshadowed by an incident involving ballboy Charlie Morgan and Blues' winger Eden Hazard. Morgan fell on the ball out of play and the Belgium international attempted to kick the ball from the 17-year-old's grasp, but appeared to catch him in the ribs.

The 22-year-old was sent off for the incident and although the pair both apologised and both clubs claimed the incident has been dealt with, Morgan’s twitter account shows that before the game he posted a message including the hash tag, "#needed #for #timewasting" after being drafted into the game when a colleague was unable to make it due to poor weather conditions.

"There was no agenda, absolutely not," Dineen told the Guardian.

"Stoke, a few years ago, would get the ball-boy to wipe the ball down for a long throw and that was something the ballboys were obviously told to do. But certainly we don't line up the ballboys and ask them to waste time. Definitely not."

He also defended referee Chris Foy's decision to show the Belgian a red card for his actions, stating that the referee had no real alternative.

"If that took place on the pitch, he would be sent off," he added.

"If a player was lying on the floor and another player had kicked out, the referee would have no alternative but to send him off."

Dineen also announced that the club would not be holding an internal investigation into the incident, and that both sides have moved on.

"We have played two games against the European champions and they have failed to score, and I think it's sad that's been overshadowed by this incident,"